Outdoor power equipment includes such devices as mowers, trimmers, edgers, chainsaws, blowers and the like. These devices are often used to perform tasks that inherently require the devices to be mobile. Accordingly, these devices are typically made to be relatively robust and capable of handling difficult work in hostile environments, while balancing the requirement for mobility.
Powering such devices could be accomplished in any number of ways. However, for outdoor power equipment that is intended to be handheld, size and weight become important considerations. In some applications, the emissions (i.e., in terms of noise and/or pollutants) generated by the device may also become an important consideration. To reduce emissions, such outdoor power equipment may be selected for employment with electric motors. However, using an electric motor with mains power may inhibit mobility. As such, battery powered devices may become more popular.
Batteries and the components they power, however, may generate heat. If certain components such as, for example, the control unit or the electric motor become overheated, the product may stop working for awhile. Thus, it may become important to develop strategies for dealing with the heat load generated by battery powered, outdoor power equipment.